Key Components to Defy Aging

Q:The recent unpredictable weather, starting with an Indian Summer and sometimes it is chilly, makes my skin oily and dry at the same time and interrupts my anti-aging skin care routine. What is the right approach to care for my skin?

A: Dr. Pin Chi Chiu, Superintendent of International Aesthetic Medical Center at China Medical University, believes that if you want to effectively combat skin aging in fall and winter, you can start from using sun protection, moisturizer and choose proper anti-aging products for your skin care routine.

Dr. Pin Chi Chiu pointed out that Taiwan is located in subtropical area, so the UV rays will not vary a lot throughout the year. If you want to fight skin aging, the sun protection is still the key. Office workers who works in the office can choose SPF30, PA+++ sunscreen products; as people who work outdoor will have to choose SPF50, PA++++ sunscreen products. If you plan to travel, mountain climbing, swimming or camping, you even need to pick a waterproof sunscreen.

Although the Sun is still shining in fall and winter, the water vapor in the air has been significantly reduced. The weather changed from hot and humid summer to dry and warm. when the humidity is reduced, moisturizing becomes particularly important.

Gel-cream (water gel) moisturizers will be enough to hydrate your skin in summer, but in fall and winter, it is necessary to choose emulsion or even facial cream as moisturizer based on the dryness of your skin, Dr. Pin Chi Chiu said.

He added, if you want to keep the skin hydrated and soft and get rid of dry, itchy winter skin, in addition to strengthen the skin barrier function, how to maintain normal metabolism of dermis is also very important. During this period of time other than the moisturizing products that you use on a routine basis, adding some proper anti-aging products into your skin care routine is a feasible approach.

To strengthen dermal function, products containing vitamin A, B3 (nicotinamide) or C will be helpful, according to Dr. Pin Chi Chiu. Vitamin A alcohol has strong anti-aging effect, it not only can refine the pores and enhance skin metabolism, but also can promote dermal hyperplasia. However, Vitamin A alcohol can easily cause redness and peeling of the skin. If you want to apply this ingredient, you have to be particularly careful.

Vitamin B3 has the effect of anti-glycation of dermis, he pointed out. According to the British Journal of Dermatology, sugar will cause skin dermis to age because the advanced glycation end products (AGEs) produced from glycation will generate free radicals in the body, weakening the skin.

As for L-ascorbic acid which we often heard, in addition to a great antioxidant effect, it also works great for slowing melanin production and promote dermal regeneration.

In the maintenance of normal dermal metabolism, there are many new practices, such as the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) use anti-matrix metalloproteinases, MMPs, for age-defying purposes.

The Commercialization and Industry Service Center of ITRI stated that the matrix metalloproteinase will decompose dermal collagen and matrix. If the decomposition can be properly reduced, then skin sagging can be prevented. It also belongs to a kind of anti-aging ingredients in a broader sense.

Joshua Lai and Qiu, Jia-Ling, project manager of the Commercialization and Industry Service Center at ITRI, said that MMpH+ was originally a coating material for cancer drugs, mainly used in pharmaceuticals, and later found that it can inhibit matrix metalloproteinases and slow down the loss of collagen. Thus, the team started to develop its application in skin care.

Dr. Pin Chi Chiu said that dermal tissue has its own metabolism cycle, “When the time comes, body will replace the old tissue with the new one, but when the metabolic rate is faster than that of regeneration, the skin starts to age and dermis will shrink. Here, if the rapid metabolism of dermal tissue can be decelerated properly, it is helpful for overall skin refining.”

Therefore, as long as we pay attention to use sunscreen, moisturize the skin on a daily basis, and develop skin care routine, the skin can be firm and bright through fall and winter.